We received
Mollie as a puppy. I noticed immediately that she was very
smart and had a sense of danger that other dogs didn't have.
For instance, when you open the front door, some dogs will
make a dash for the street, running wild and not knowing
that they might be in danger of getting hit by a car. But
not Mollie. She would sit and look when the door was opened,
but she would only go out if she knew it was safe. She loved
going for walks on her leash and she would wiggle her little
head through her collar whenever somebody held it out for
her. Mollie was with us in two apartments, and finally in
the first house that we ever bought in 2000. She loved
chasing squirrels and birds in the back yard. Soon after we
moved to our house she developed Diabetes and Cushing's
Disease. Then the cataracts came. She never complained
about her decreasing ability to get around and took her
insulin shots and other medication without running away. It
was as if she knew these things were there to help her, even
though it wasn't fun to get poked and have to swallow
capsules every day. Even though she couldn't see clearly,
she was able to see shapes and light and was able to get
around the back yard and even walk slowly from room to room
in the house. I work the night shift and when I would leave
for work at night, there was nobody to see me off except
Mollie. She was always there at the door to say goodbye.
Sometimes she would crunch her dog food and go out before I
left, but she always went to the door with me to say
goodbye. It must have been difficult for her to make her way
back to the bedroom after I left, but this is what she did.
And she was there to greet me when I came home in the
morning too. In the last few months, sometimes she wasn't
there to say hello when I came home in the morning; instead
she was still in the bedroom. I would poke around the
kitchen for a while and after a few minutes she would poke
her fuzzy head around the doorway to say hello. With all of
her medical issues, we knew that there would be a time when
she would either pass away or we would have to help her make
the transition. The really difficult part of making that
decision is that you have to rely on them to tell you when
it's time, and I was concerned that I wouldn't know. It's
not like you can speak to them and say something like,
"You've been a faithful friend as well as an important part
of the family. If this is all too much for you to take,
please tell me and I'll help you make the transition over
the Rainbow Bridge." As far as euthanasia was concerned, I
was always worried that I would make the decision too soon
or too late. Even though she had diabetes, cataracts and
Cushings for years, her quality of life was good and she
enjoyed riding in the car, chasing birds and just doing what
he always did, just more slowly. Her deterioration came
quickly over a couple of days. She didn't eat or drink and
she vomited for most of a day, then she had a major seizure.
We took her to the emergency clinic where they kept her
overnight and stabilized her. She didn't have any more
seizures that night, so we took her to the vet in the
morning and then took her home. I had some baby food that I
kept for just this type of emergency but she couldn't keep
even a drop of it down. Then she had a couple of small
seizures and finally a large one. We rushed her back to the
emergency clinic. The told us that given her condition, they
weren't sure she could make it through the night. We didn't
want her to die alone, in a cage, with people she didn't
know so we made the difficult decision at that time to help
her go so that she would leave with us there, holding her.
The vet said that when the medication that would stop her
heart was injected she might urinate or defecate
reflexively, but we didn't care. It's only clothes and this
was Mollie. But within 15 seconds after the injection, she
stopped breathing and she put her little head in my hand and
it was over. She was a good girl, even at the end.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of
heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.When an animal dies that has
been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to
Rainbow Bridge.There are meadows and
hills for all of our special friends so they can run and
play together.There is plenty of food,
water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and
comfortable.

All the animals who had
been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who
were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as
we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.The animals are happy and
content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone
very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play
together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and
looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His
eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the
group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him
faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and
when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling
together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The
happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress
the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting
eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never
absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow
Bridge together never again to be separated....

Author unknown...

A Pet's Prayer

If it should be, that I
grow frail and weak,

And pain should keep me
from my sleep,

Then you must do what
must be done

For this, the last
battle, can't be won.

You will be sad, I
understand.

Don't let your grief
then stay your hand,

For this day, more than
the rest,

Your love and
friendship stand the test.

We've
had so many happy years

What is to come can
hold no fears.

You'd not want me to
suffer, so,

When the time comes,
please let me go.

Take me where my needs
they'll tend only,

Stay with me to
the end,

And hold me firm and
speak to me,

Until my eyes no longer
see.

I know in time you will
see

It is a kindness you do
to me

Although my tail its
last has waved

From pain and suffering
I've been saved.

Don't grieve it should
be you,

Who decides this thing
to do,

We've been so close, we
two, these years

Don't let your heart
hold any tears.

Smile - for we walked
together,

For a little while

Thanks
to
Drs. Blonien, Shelton and Whetstone for caring for Mollie over
the years. This magnet was on our refrigerator for a long
time.

I Stood By Your Bed Last
NightI stood by your bed
last night; I came to have a peep. I could see that youwere crying, you
found it hard to sleep.I whined to you
softly as you brushed away a tear, "It's me, I haven't leftyou, I'm well, I'm
fine, and I'm here."I was close to you
at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea, you werethinking of the
many times, your hands reached down to me.I was with you at
the shops today; your arms were getting sore. I longed totake your parcels;
I wish I could do more.I was with you at
my grave today; you tend it with such care. I want toreassure you, that
I'm not lying there.I walked with you
towards the house, as you fumbled for your key. I gentlyput my paw on you;
I smiled and said "it's me."You looked so very
tired, and sank into a chair. I tried so hard to let youknow, that I was
standing there.It's possible for
me to be so near you everyday. To say to you withcertainty, "I never
went away."You sat there very
quietly, and then smiled, I think you knew, in thestillness of that
evening, I was very close to you.The day is over...
I smile and watch you yawning and say "good-night, Godbless, I'll see you
in the morning."And when the time
is right for you to cross the brief divide, I'll rushacross to greet you
and we'll stand, side by side.I have so many
things to show you, there is so much for you to see. Bepatient, live your
journey out ... then come home to be with me.-
Author unknown

I Am Your Dog I am your dog, and I
have a little something I would like to whisper in your ear.

I know that you
humans lead busy lives. Some have to work. Some have
children to raise. It
always seems like you are running here and there, often much
too fast, often never noticing the truly grand things in
life.

Look down at me now,
while you sit there at your computer. See, the way my dark
brown eyes look
at yours. They are slightly cloudy now. That comes with age.
The gray hairs are beginning to
ring my soft muzzle.

You smile at me; I
see love in your eyes. What do you see in mine? Do you see a
spirit? A soul inside, who
loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit that
would forgive all trespasses of prior wrongdoing for just a simple moment of
your time?

That is all I ask. To
slow down, if even for a few minutes to be with me.

So many times, you
have been saddened by the words you read on that screen, of
other of my kind, passing. Sometimes we die young and oh so
quickly, sometimes so suddenly it wrenches your heart out of
your throat. Sometimes, we age so slowly before your eyes
that you may not even seem to know until the very end, when we look at you
with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes. Still the
love is always there, even when
we must take that long sleep, to run free in a distant land.

I may not be here
next week. Someday you will shed the water from your eyes,
that humans have when deep
grief fills their souls, and you will be angry at yourself
that you did not have just "One more day" with me. Because I
love you so, your sorrow touches my spirit and grieves me.
We have NOW, together.

So come, sit down
here next to me on the floor, and look deep into my eyes.
What do you see? If
you look hard and deep enough we will talk, you and I, heart
to heart. Come to me not as "alpha" or as "trainer" or even "Mom
or Dad," come to me as a living soul and stroke my fur and
let us look deep into another's eyes, and talk.

I may tell you
something about the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or I may
tell you something profound about
myself or even life in general. You decided to have me in
your life because you wanted a soul to share such things with.

Someone very
different from you, and here I am.

I am a dog, but I am
alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I can
revel in the differences of our spirits and souls. I do not
think of you as a "Dog on two feet"- I know what you are.
You are human, in all of your quirkiness, and I love you
still.

Now, come sit with me
on the floor. Enter my world, and let time slow down if only
for 15 minutes. Look
deep
into my eyes, and whisper to my ears. Speak with your heart,
with your joy and I will know your
true self.

We may not have
tomorrow, and life is oh so very short.

--Love, (on behalf of
canines everywhere)

Author Unknown

A Shelter Dog asks God

Author: Joan C. Fremo Published on: July
29, 2001Dear God,What is "Time"?I hear the sadness in the voices of
workers here. They say my "Time is up", that they have to
make room for yet another dog.My "Time" is up. I don't know what that
means, God. I only know that my new friends are so sad, and
the more I wag my tail---the harder I try to make them feel
better---the sadder they become.I know I have heard that word "Time"
before, but I don't understand. When I was younger, my
people would say "Time to play!" They would throw the ball,
and I would run fast. Sometimes I brought it back to them,
but other times we'd end up chasing each other having fun.I remember "Time to eat". My people would
put down a bowl of food, and I would enjoy dinner, wagging
my tail in joy. There was also "Time for your walk". My boy
would put my leash on, and we would go walking together,
visiting the neighborhood and enjoying each other's company.
When I was younger I thought "Time" meant
fun. Or maybe Love? I don't understand. "Time" must mean
something else, but how can it change, God? Before I came
here, I heard my people say, "No time to feed you now, boy.
Later, when I get home." Sometimes my family would forget,
and there was no food in my bowl. Does "Time" mean when my belly hurts?My people said there was no time for
walks. I tried to hold it all day long-- but God, I just
couldn't anymore. When I finally had to go, it made my
family very angry.Does "Time" means anger? Or maybe
Loneliness? My family said they didn't have "Time".
They didn't have time to play, or time to take me to the
vet, or time to go for walks. They didn't have "Time", so
they brought me here. Maybe I was right... They said they didn't
have time, and if "Time" means Love, how did they lose it?Did I do something wrong?God, I think my new friends are sending me
to you. Do you have "Time"? May I sit on the couch?Am I a good Dog, God?Is it "Time"?